Gỏi Ngó Sen Recipe (Vietnamese Lotus Stem Salad)
Gỏi ngó sen (lotus stem and shrimp salad) is the perfect recipe to make when you crave a healthy and tasty dish. The preparation is incredibly easy as well, so don't hesitate to try it out!
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 747kcal
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
- Vegetable Peeler
- Food Prep Gloves
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 0.9 pounds fresh shrimp
- 0.8 pounds pork belly
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Scallions
- Shallots
- A few ginger slices
- 1 pound lotus stem
- 2.65 ounces Vietnamese coriander
- 2.65 ounces spearmint
- 1 red onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 red cow horn pepper
- 2.65 ounces roasted peanuts
- 1 ounce fried shallots
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
For the Dressing
- 2.5 fluid ounces fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 0.85 fluid ounces lime juice
- 5 teaspoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the pork belly and shrimp. Devein the shrimp.
- Wash the vegetables. Soak the lotus stems in an ice bath. Add a little lemon juice or vinegar and sugar to the water. Slice the red onion thinly. Finely chop the Vietnamese coriander and spearmint. Shred the carrot. Remove the seeds from the cow horn pepper, then julienne it.
- Add the carrot, red onion, and lotus stems into a mixing bowl. Season with sugar and salt. Mix well and let the veggies sit for 20 minutes to soften and infuse them with the spices.
- Blanch the pork in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, boil it together with some shallots, scallions, a few slices of ginger, and salt for 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Once cooked, transfer the pork to an ice bath to improve its texture and color.
- Add the shrimp to the pot you just used to boil the pork. Boil them for 5 minutes. Put the shrimp in the ice bath to stop the cooking and make them firmer.
- Cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces. Put on the food prep gloves and peel the shrimp. Leave the tails intact. If the shrimp are too big, you can cut them in half lengthwise.
- Combine the ingredients for the dressing (fish sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and lemon juice) in a small bowl.
- Wear your food prep gloves and squeeze out the liquid in the lotus stems, carrot, and red onion.
- Add the vegetables, shrimp, and pork to a mixing bowl. Toss the salad with ⅔ of the dressing.
- Add the peppermint, Vietnamese coriander, cow horn pepper, fried shallots, and roasted peanuts to the salad. Pour in the remaining dressing and toss well.
- Transfer the salad to a plate and garnish it with some more Vietnamese coriander, peppermint, and chili pepper. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You should always prepare the lotus stems as instructed to ensure that they have the best color and crispness.
- Bánh phồngn tôm (Vietnamese prawn crackers) is an excellent treat to pair with gỏi ngó sen. You can look for them in Asian stores and markets.
- In addition to the dressing above, you can toss the salad with nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce).
- The best time to assemble the salad is right before serving. Or you can make it about 2 hours in advance and store it in your refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 747kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 4137mg | Potassium: 996mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4679IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 3mg